The increasing number of small and fragile parts that are being manufactured using micromachining
technology has raised the demand for co-ordinate measurement machines (CMM) that
can measure on a micro- and millimetric scale without contacting the part, thus avoiding damage to
the surface of the part. These instruments are expected to measure on a micro- and millimetric scale
with a measuring uncertainty in the nanometre range. A number of techniques used for contactless
surface measurements exist, such as the focus variation (FV) technique, which have the ability to
perform measurements on the micro- and millimetric scale in a short amount of time. These
instruments may have the potential to be implemented in a non-contact micro-CMM platform. [Continues.]

Description:

A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.